In the past, many people have looked to America as “a shining city on a hill”, a land full of prosperity and opportunity. Is this still true? Do others still look at America as a land of freedom, where everyone is able to achieve his or her dreams?

If you ask Americans, fewer of them will tell you that the United States is the land of opportunity than in years past. According to a recent Gallup Poll, 52% of those surveyed thought there was plenty of opportunity here as opposed to 57% just two years ago. This is also a significant decline from the 81 percent who agreed with this statement in 1998.

While more U.S. citizens are feeling downcast about the “American dream”, that sentiment is not necessarily echoed by people around the world. CNBC recently reported that foreigners still tend to believe in the concept of it. In a global study, American was rated the third best country in the world to live, with Australia and Canada coming in first and second respectively.

The fact that the recession has affected everyone globally is likely the cause for the difference in opinion. Americans continue to struggle economically, and in some ways, have been harder hit by the recession than those in other countries have. As a result, people here continue to be pessimistic about their future because job opportunities are fewer and far between.

Even though times are tough here, a number of people still dream of calling America home. Those who are interested in U.S. citizenship should contact a Denver immigration attorney.